Reversing-gear.



Patented Nov. 5,.|90|.V R. F. WILSON. REVERSING GEAR.

(Apph t med my 15 1901) y (In Model.) 2 Sheets-Shed 2.

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UNTTED l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD F. VILSON, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

REVERSING-GEAR.

SPECCFJICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,178, dated November5, 1901.

Application filed July 15, 1901. Serial No. 68,343. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ wtmn t may concern:

Beit known that I, RICHARD F. WILSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Albany, in the county of Albanyand State of New York,'have invented a new and Improved Reversing-Gear, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in reversing-gear for useinconnection with combustion-engines or other engines'or motors where theshaft is at all times rotated in one direction, the device beingparticularly adapted for the shafting of propellers for naphthalaunchesor the like; and the object is to provide a reversing-gear of simpleconstruction Vby means of which the direction of rotation of the drivenshaft or propeller may be quickly changed or rendered inoperative.

I will describe a reversinggear embodying my invention and then pointout the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specication, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a section on the line .n @cof Fig. 2 of a reversinggearembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the shafts and showing clutch mechanism.Fig. 4 is a section on the line .e e of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an inner faceview of one of the drivinggears. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one ofthe clutch-blocks embodied in theinvention,

and Fig. 7 isan edge view of one of the shifting rings employed.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the driving-shaft, operated by acombustion-engine or the like, and 2 is the driven shaft, which when thedevice is used for the propulsion of a vessel will have the propellerattached to it. Loosely mounted on the shaft 1 is a bevelgear 3, andloosely mounted on the shaft 2 is abevel-gear 4, these bevel-gears 3 and4 meshingwith an idler bevelgear 5. The several gears, as here shown,are arranged within a boxing or casing G. One ofthe shafts, here shownas the shaft 1, has atits end within the casing 6 a spur 7, designed toengage in an opening in the end of the other shaft, which will have atendency to prevent lateral vibrating motion of the shafts.

At its end within the casing 6 the shaft 1 is provided with longitudinalopposite channels 8, in which clutch-blocks 9 are movable. The inner endof the shaft 2is also provided with opposite longitudinal channels 10,in which clutch-blocks 11 are movable. Near its end each clutch-block isprovided with portions which project outward beyond the periphery of theshaft, and between these projected portions shifting rings are designedto engage. For engaging with the blocks 9 is a shifting ring 12, and forengaging with the blocks 11 is a shifting ring 13. The inner ends ofopposite blocks 9 and 1l are designed to interlock, and therefore I haveshown the blocks at their inner ends cutaway for one-half theirthickness or width, and to relieve the pressure somewhat upon theinterlocking blocks I provide the inner and adjacent faces of the rings12 and 13 with lugs 14, the lugs of one ring being adapted to engagewith the lugs of the other ring. A lever 15 supports at its lower end afriction-roller 16, which engages in an annular channel formed in thering 12, and a lever 17 has aroller 18 at its lower end for engaging inan annular channel formed in the ring 13. A shifting lever 19 is pivotedto an upward extension 20 on the casing 6, and a link 21 connects theupper end of the lever 15 with the lower end of the lever 19, below thepivotal point of said lever 19, while a link 22 connects the upper endof the lever 17 with the shifting lever 19 at a point above the pivot ofsaid shifting lever. By this means when the shifting lever is moved theclutch-blocks with the rings will be simultaneously moved in oppositedirections. The inner faces of the gears 3 and 4 are provided withopposite blocks 23, which are designed to be engaged by the outer endsof the clutch-blocks 9 and 11. Therefore these blocks 23 may be termedclutch-sections.

In operation when the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 1, theclutch-blocks being in engagement with the clutch-blocks on the gears,motion imparted to the motorshaft 1 in the direction indicated by thearrow will of course impart a corresponding ro' tary motion to the gear3. This gear 3 ro.- tating the gear 5 will cause a reverse rotarymotion'of the gear 4, and consequently a reverse motion of its shaft.Should it be dcsired to rotate the shaft 2 in the reverse directionor'in the direction of rotation of the driving or motor shaft, theshifting lever 19 is to be thrown in the opposite direction or to theopposite side of the center, when the inner or adjacent ends of oppositeclutch-blocks 9 and 11 will come into engagement, thus rorating the twoshafts together Without imparting motion to the gear-wheels. Should itbe desired to stop the propeller, the driving-shaft 1 being in motion,the shifting lever 19 is to be moved to a central or vertical position,which will separate or move the opposite clutch-blocks sufficiently farapart so that the blocks carried by the shaft 1 may pass the blocksmounted on the shaft 2. The shifting lever may be held in place by meansof a spring-pressed bolt or support engaging with a rack on the upperend of the part 20. Having thus described my invention, I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a reversing-gear, adriving-shaft and a driven shaft, bevel-gears loosely mounted on saidshafts, an idler-gear meshing with said two bevel-gears, clutch-blocksmovable on the two shafts, clutch members on the bevelgears for engagingthe said clutchblocks, whereby the shafts are driven in oppositedirections, and means for moving the inner or adjacent ends of oppositeclutchblocks into engagement, whereby both shafts will be driven in thesame direction.

2. A reversing-gear, comprising a drivingshaft and a driven shaft,bevel-gears loosely mounted on said shafts, an idler bevel-gear meshingwith the first-named bevel-gears,

each of said shafts having opposite longitudinal channels, clutch-blocksmovable in the channels of the driving-shaft, clutch-blocks movable inthe channels of the driven shaft, clutch members on the first-namedbevelgears for engaging with the clutch-blocks, shifting rings engagingthe clutch-blocks of the shafts, levers having portions extended intothe annular channels formed in the rings, a shifting lever, and linkconnections between said shifting lever and the first-,named lever, onelink having its connection above the pivotal point of the shifting leverand the other link having its connection below the pivot-point of theshifting lever.

8. A reversing-gear, comprising a drivingshaft, a driven shaft,bevelgears loosely mounted on said shafts, a clutch device carried bythe two shafts and movable longitudinally thereof, means for moving theclutch devices into locking engagement with opposite bevel-gears, meansfor moving the inner or adjacent ends ofopposite blocks into engagement,and means for holding the blocks of one shaft ont of engagement with theblocks of the other shaft, whereby the driving-shaft may rotate whilethe driven shaft remains stationary, and an idler-gear meshing with thefirst two gears.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD F. VILSON.

lVitnesses:

CHARLES A. HOLLENBECK, JOSEPH A. FRANKLIN.

